The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1887-01-14
Geographically reported for the MONITOR. ]
THE RELIGIOUS TRAINING OF
CHILDREN IN THE HOME.
a Discourse Delivered by DIR. Felix
Adler Before the Society for Ethical
Culture, in NafatOrium Hall, Phil
adelphia. January I'd, 1887.

adelphia. January I'd, 1887.
There is no subject about which even in
teligent persons are more at sea than relig.
ious training, and especially religious train
ing in the home Even the churches admit
that the question of the religious bringing
up OF young children is extremely difficult
and perplexing. The liberal community,
Chose who stand outside OF the churches),
have done but little. hitherto, in attacking
this problem or in contributing to its solu-
ton. We who may call ourselves by the
name of liberals, however, are particularly
interested in the question, and for the rea-
son that our ideas are of so, on the whole,
abstract nature, so difficult to seize in
tellectually, that we feel, or are tempted
to feel, how almost impossible it must be
to bring these far-reaching thoughts con-
corning life and our relations to the uni
verse, down to the plane Of little children
minds. The consequence is that great
many persons, otherwise literally inclined,
draw wide distinction between what they
believe and what they teach their children.
In despair of finding the right sort of in
| struction, they either allow their children
to visit the Sunday school and imbibe doc
trines that they themselves condemn, hop
ing that eventually after years have gone
| by and the chiId's mind has matured, it
will, find out the error or errors ofits teach
ers and will throw off these early teachings,
or they do nothing at all They content
themselves with giving the child a good
secular education and make no effort to
supply its religious needs.
Now for the dstinctively moral side of
education, our ethical societies have at
tempted to provide in the ethical classes.
We have wor kod out scheme of instruc-
ton, of which your lecturer has charge in
Philadelphia, intended to give the child
rem, what the Sunday schools hardly give,
a systematic course of instruction in the
duties of life, classifying these duties, be-
ginning with the self-regardng duties, and
then proceeding to the duties which We
owe in the family, in the state, and in the
| bond of humanity st large.
We have alse awaited ourselves of the
very important educational adjunct of BIZ
graphies, in ORDER to impress moral ideas
on the children. We are endeavoring now
to work ont systematic series ofbiograph-
les adopted for young children, and for
older people. These biographies have an
immense value in SO far as they give us
types for emulation, in so far as they warn
us off from the temptations to which others
have succumbed, and especially inasmuch
ment. Every biography that presents you
with tie means of analyziny character, in
creases your knowledge of character, and
helps you therefore in your own problem of
life
cannot incidentally, sufficiently recon-
mend the systematic study of biographies.
l. myself, feed on biographical learning
and | find in my moments of dependency
there is nothing cheers me so much as to
read of the virtues of others. This bio
graphical material is very large.
Outside of systematic instruction and
outside of biographical reading and analy-
sis, we also employ maxims. The children
are required oil invited to commit to MEM
DRY and recte certain maxim4 in which the
moral experience of mankind has crystal
lied ITSELF These maxims are of great
service. They are, as it were, pegs insert
ed into the mind on which long trains of
moral reasoning can be hung. They throw
sharp, vivid flash of light into the moral
conflicts, and in hours of moral danger the
we have heard from the lips of parents or
teachers is often great safeguard
have spoken of the systematic use of
biographies and Of maxims. There is one
classes, that of repeating speeches and
addresses of course selecting only such
speeches in which great and noble moral
sentiments are Incorporated. The child
who repeats the sentiments of great man
or woman, for the time being takes on the
character of the person whose words he
utters, and the reflex i'll his mind of utter
ing noble words is deep and lasting
I think it WE'LL by way of introduction,
to mention these points before dismiss
the matter of distinctively moral teaching,
otherwise some of my hearers, who are not
acquainted with the details of the distinct
lively moral work which We are trying to
do with young children, might find the re-
marks which follow insufficient, and not
equal to the necessities of the chid's edu-
cation.
| wish to speak more particularly of the
religious bringing up of children, and es-
! pecially of religious influence in the home.
Now my first point is a negative one.
wish to give my grounds for believing that
the ordinary kind of religious training is
not needed, and especially that it is moi
necessary to introduce the idea of God in
bringing up little children.
| Now there are great many persons who
will simply stand aghast at the notion Of
bringing up child without speaking OF
God, and they think the children who are
brought up without such teaching must
inevitably go to the bad. do not at all
share this opinion, and if We look at the
question little more closely | think il
will be possible to perceive that quite apar'